Plenty has made about the attacking riches Jesse Marsch has at his disposal in recent days. The five goals Leeds scored against Cardiff City on Wednesday night were enough to leave supporters purring about the ability of individuals and the addition of club record signing Georginio Rutter only served to strengthen the Whites’ forward ranks.
However, it was Marsch’s defence that picked up the plaudits after the club’s 0-0 draw with Brentford at Elland Road on Sunday. It’s something that hasn’t always been said about Leeds this season, with the Bees stalemate being just the fourth clean sheet they have kept in all competitions, but they were resolute, determined, smart and clear-headed.
Ivan Toney, who bagged a hat-trick in the reverse fixture last September, was hardly given a sniff, while the attacking talents of Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa struggled for any sort of joy whatsoever. In fact, Illan Meslier didn’t have a shot on target to save in the game, according to the stats, which simply goes to show the dominance Leeds’ backline had over the opposition in West Yorkshire.
Read more: Every word Jesse Marsch said on Leeds United's draw, Wober, Rutter and Cooper fitness
They deserve credit as a unit, but individually, Leeds’ centre-backs will pick up plenty of plaudits and with good reason, too. Changes were made from the last Premier League game Leeds played, with Liam Cooper missing out through injury.
His absence allowed Max Wober to make his first league start for the Whites and it’s fair to say he took the opportunity to stake a claim with both hands. The Austrian never put a foot wrong. He made every tackle, every header and never missed the chance to put his body on the line with vigour and enthusiasm.
His leadership was visible as he offered vocal encouragement and barked instructions at times. He combined well with Robin Koch, too, demonstrating early signs of a budding partnership between the two German-speaking defenders that could potentially be seen on a regular basis.
This was the first time they had played together in the centre of defence, but they were like a well-oiled machine, with Luke Ayling and Pascal Struijk contributing on the edges, too. They were helped by Tyler Adams in front of them, who was a destructive force in the middle of the park once more, and although Leeds didn’t win the game, the performances of Wober and Koch were vital in ensuring they didn’t lose it.
“I would say that both of them growing up in either Germany or Austria have had really good formation in terms of understanding tactical responsibilities and nuances,” Marsch said about the pair after the game. “Both are very intelligent players.
“I knew that about Max before he came, that he's special that way, very intelligent, very clear with exactly what his role is. I think he's fit in seamlessly with the group and so both of them I thought had very strong performances. Obviously that was a big reason why we were able to get the clean sheet.”
He added: “(Wober’s) greatest strengths are his intelligence, his communication and his ability on the ball. He's probably the best passing centre-back I've ever had.
“But it's also about his communication and intelligence and I think that that's helped the whole group. Until he came off we were up 3-0 against Cardiff. He came in the match and played as a six against Cardiff away. He came on the pitch and played as a left-back at Villa. We haven't given up a goal when he's been on the pitch.
“So I think that says a lot about his performances and his clarity as to what we expect from him.”
Unfortunately, the booking Robin Koch received in the game means he will miss the club’s next Premier League game at Nottingham Forest. Moving forward, though, it seems Marsch has a decision to make about his best centre-back pairing.
Club captain Cooper, who was missing on Sunday with a niggling issue, offers plenty in terms of leadership, experience and guidance at the back, but there seemed to be an understanding between Koch and Wober as they hit it off on the field.
“I think there's good chemistry between Liam and Robin as well,” Marsch added. “But even when I spoke to Liam about Max coming, that it was another player of similar to Pascal that can play left back or centre-back, I said that one of the strategies is that for Liam, as we see right now, it's been hard for him to train all week, and then be ready for a game and then train all week and be ready for a game and we need to get him more of a rhythm where he's training and at a top level of fitness and not just preparing him for matches.
“Hopefully, if we can provide him with a little bit more pause, that we can then create more longevity and top fitness and health for him along the way. But Liam will continue to be a very important player for us, no doubt.”
Absolutely no one will question Cooper’s significance at Elland Road and his ability to play the role he has done since joining the club back in 2014. But, right now, it seems Marsch has an interesting decision to make regarding his left-sided centre back in the coming weeks.
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